


Now You Know

by meticulous_crow



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: How Do I Tag, Light-Hearted, Multi, My First Fanfic, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:40:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25524532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meticulous_crow/pseuds/meticulous_crow
Summary: Poppy and colleague(s) go to a fair to have fun, and get a glimpse into the future...
Comments: 14
Kudos: 53





	Now You Know

**Author's Note:**

> A few notes! 
> 
> First, it’s been YEARS and years and years since I’ve written any fiction. I used to love it, but it got away from me. This may sound like a familiar story, but it has to be said: there’s something special about Lilydusk’s Midnight Poppy Land, and the incredible fan fiction on this site, that brought me back to writing. All of the stories on here have inspired me to finally think about creating my own, and the welcoming community on this site has given me find the courage to post this. So—if you’ve written fiction on this site or have helped foster this community via your supportive comments on other writers’ stories—thank you! You’re why I’m here :)
> 
> Second, this isn’t beta-read and I know I’m quite rusty at this, so I definitely welcome your feedback (and encouragement!). I am a fragile but determined baby bird writer ready to give this fiction writing thing another go; I feed on compliments but grow with constructive criticism. 
> 
> Third, *insert obligatory disclaimers here, these are Lilydusk’s wonderful characters not mine, etc.* 
> 
> Fourth (and most important), about this story: I was inspired to write this story by the song “Prophets in the Sky” by The Cat Empire. PLEASE, please, give it a listen before reading! And if you have nothing else to do once you’re done reading, check out Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’s “Fortune Teller” for an entertaining but only superficially relevant song. 
> 
> Fifth, *screams and clicks on “Post.”*

Poppy beamed as the huge sycamore leaves scattered across the fairgrounds crunched under her feet. A crisp wind lifted some into the air and let them float down like clumsy moths. She admired them—so gentle in the air, so fuzzy and soft, yet so brittle, and what a satisfying crunch they made underfoot. She bent over to pick one up and twirled it from the stem.

“That one’s almost as big as your head, Pops!” Jacob yelled from the edge of the parking area where he waited for her to catch up.

“I know, they’re incredible!” Poppy reluctantly let the leaf drop and picked up her pace to join him. “They really make it feel like fall.”

“Friggin’ Moonbright, am I right?” Jacob laughed. He held up two leaves and fanned himself with them. “Sometimes I miss up north where we actually have real seasons.” He noticed Poppy’s raised eyebrow and sniffed, dropping the leaves. “Okay, fine. The sun _has_ grown on me. But I think everyone from North Narin is expected to complain when you Moonbrighters pretend you know anything about real winter and autumn.”

Poppy shook her head. “Oh, come on, this is real autumn. There are literal leaves on the ground and a cold breeze. There’s the largest pumpkin patch in Narin in the middle of the fair! What more do you need, you snob?”

Jacob flung his scarf over his shoulder dramatically. “A latte would be nice right now.”

Poppy grabbed a handful of leaves from the ground and tried to throw them at him, but the breeze sent them back in her direction. “You know the scarf isn’t really helping you make your argument, right?” 

Jacob stuck out his lower lip. “I know, but I can’t take it off. It’s necessary for my look.”

“You do rock the awkward hipster look, I have to give it to you.” Poppy giggled. “Even your t-shirt is ironic.” Jacob looked down at the shirt he wore beneath his unbuttoned flannel, which said “Money Maker,” and then glared at Poppy over his glasses. “You’re also looking down your nose at me pretty well right now,” she said.

Jacob threw his hands in the air in feigned exasperation and stomped away from her. “I drove you all the way over here, and this is what I get? Okay, Poppy, I see you.”

The breeze came to life again and brought the smell of sweet kettle corn to her nose as they entered the main fair area. The air was dry and cool, but the fried food and the body heat from the people milling around the booths generated some warmth and humidity. A ride came to life to her right, lifting people into the air and swinging them around in a tight circle. A small child shrieked somewhere above her and laughter and the cacophony of happy voices quickly enveloped her.

The last time she had been here was with Julri, and the sounds of the fair transported her right back to that day. It had started out as a pleasant date, perhaps even above average for them, although that could have been due to her sheer excitement and love for the fair. But when Julri saw his friends at a distance walking their way, he had thrown out the hot cider he had just bought for Poppy and said they needed to leave early.

Poppy shook her head. That relationship had ended months ago, and all she felt most days was relief. She was _not_ about to have the shame and betrayal evoked by that memory ruin her time tonight. She loved coming to the Moonbright Fall Festival every year, so she sure as shortcake was going to enjoy it! 

“This is really cool, Pops!” Jacob said, taking in the flashing lights and the crowds. “Do they have the same rides every year?”

“Yep, for as long as I’ve been coming here—”

“—Which is what, fifteen years?”

Poppy counted in her head quickly. “Uh, eighteen, actually! Although I was too young to remember the first few. Yes, the rides are always the same, and most of the food vendors and games are the same, too. Sometimes there are new ones, but I think everyone really likes the tradition. Spending all year looking forward to your favorite snack or game is a huge part of the fun.”

“Oh my god. Are those miniature ponies? Shoot, I _knew_ I should have brought my camera,” Jacob pouted, hands on his hips.

“Aw, that’s too bad. Don’t worry, the selfie queen should be joining us shortly.”

“Oh, yeah, where is Erdene?” Jacob asked, turning to Poppy.

“I’m not sure, probably on her way. Do you want to wait for her somewhere? Maybe we should go back and wait by the entrance.”

“Nah, we don’t have to wait for her. You know what? She’s probably already in the beer garden. Let’s go there. I bet she’s three drinks in. And two corn dogs in.”

Poppy lightly smacked Jacob on his arm. “Will you please be nice?”

“I am! Jeez. You’re the one getting violent.”

“I meant about Erdene.”

“I am being nice! There’s nothing wrong with wanting to eat and drink, you prude. Come on, let’s go find her.”

Poppy rolled her eyes. “I know there’s nothing wrong with it… I just… You make it sound like that’s all she does.”

“I’m just teasing, Pops. Take it easy! Come on, let’s go. I still think we should head over there.”

Poppy started to follow him again, but felt her phone vibrate and checked the screen. Erdene had texted her.

“Oh, fudge biscuits! I guess she can’t make it after all,” Poppy said. She looked up, and couldn’t see Jacob for a second, but then found him in the crowd. He was moving against the flow of people and had made little progress. “Jacob!” He stopped and turned back. Poppy waved her phone in the air and conveyed the message. “She just texted me that she can’t make it.”

“What?! That flaky bitch. Bummer.”

Poppy grinned. She wanted to defend her friend again, but Erdene _was_ a flaky bitch.

Jacob saw her smile and narrowed his eyes with a smirk. “Wait, is this all an excuse for you to hang out with me alone?”

Poppy frowned, but couldn’t help the heat rising to her cheeks. “No!” she said hotly. Obviously that had not been the plan, but her stupid cheeks always betrayed her when she got flustered, and thinking about Julri earlier had already activated them. They burned even harder the more she willed them not to, and as she realized her response was probably overly defensive. She tilted her face away from Jacob and into the breeze, hoping the cold air would cool her face down.

“Are you sure? A casual hangout among coworkers, turned intimate when the flaky bitch flakes as usual?”

“Hardee har har. You wish.”

“I don’t believe you. Was she even going to come? Did she really text you? Show me your phone! Oh, idea—I’m going to call her!” Jacob brandished his phone and pressed the speaker button, looking quite pleased with himself. Poppy shrugged, trying to embody the nonchalance she would be feeling if she hadn’t gotten flustered. She was indeed curious about what was keeping Erdene from making it, and focused on that.

The call kept ringing, and then suddenly Erdene’s voicemail came on. Jacob ended the call with a laugh. “I don’t know, Poppy, this isn’t looking too good for you.”

Immediately, Poppy’s phone lit up with a call. It was Erdene! She showed the lock screen with Erdene’s name on it to Jacob, and stuck her tongue out at him before answering and putting her on speaker.

“Hey, Pops, I’m so sorry for the last-minute change of plans!”

Jacob spoke up. “Erdene! Why are you calling Poppy? I JUST called you and you ignored my call? I’m hurt.”

“What can I say, Jacob. We all know I like Poppy better.”

It was Poppy’s turn to smirk at Jacob. “Is everything okay, Dene? Why can’t you make it?”

“Oh man, sorry for the confusion. I know I keep changing plans, but I actually will be able to make it! My date was supposed to pick me up but I guess he had some car trouble, and then… Well, that’s between us. Sorry, kids. But we are coming after all. I think it’s going to be another hour though.”

“Wait, you’re bringing a date?” Jacob gasped. “Was this supposed to be a double date?”

There was a pause on the line. “Wait, Poppy, girl, what now?!”

“Ugh, ignore him! Jacob’s just being annoying.”

“It’s because you’re so easy to tease, Pops.” Jacob laughed despite Poppy’s glare at him.

Erdene’s voice cut through Jacob’s laughter. “You better stop, Jacob, before you get on the bad side of Scary Poppy. She probably has a hit list or something.”

“Yeah… From the look on her face, I think I might be on it already.”

“Yikes. Try to keep it civil over there, kids.”

“We’ll try. Well, okay, Erdene,” Jacob said, patting Poppy on the head. “I better go find our Pops something to eat. We’re going to stuff our faces until you get here. Or maybe go on all the cool rides without you and then stuff our faces. Bye.”

“Hah, don’t eat too much! You’re going on all the rides with me again once I get there!”

Poppy ended the call and shook her head. Her coworkers were too much. She sighed and mentally shook herself. “Come on, Jacob. You’re buying me a funnel cake, for all those Fridays I spent doing your paperwork.”

\---

Poppy finished the funnel cake with satisfaction, and wiped her fingers and face with a few thin napkins.

“Wow, Pops, you really put that away quickly.”

Poppy shook her finger at him. “You know what, Jacob. I don’t get to eat this very often, so I’m not going to let you interfere with my funnel cake experience. You can keep your comments to yourself. Only pro-funnel cake talk allowed.”

“These are pretty good,” Jacob admitted. “Top 5 funnel cakes, I think.”

Poppy nodded, and closed her eyes, savoring the lingering taste. Would it be so bad to get another one? Maybe after they tried some other food first. There were so many foods and flavors she was craving, and she didn’t want to fill up too soon. Why not begin and end their eating adventure with a funnel cake?

Another breeze picked up, colder now that the sun had set, and bringing with it smells of oil and sugar from nearby food stalls and the faint scent of incense. Jacob slammed his hands on the bench between them. “All right, we acquired food. What’s next?”

“Well, let’s see,” said Poppy excitedly as they rose from the bench and carried their plates over to a trash bin. “Are you still hungry? If so, we could try—”

“Hang on—sorry, Pops—is that what I think it is?”

Poppy turned to where Jacob was pointing. On the other side of the eating area, sandwiched between booths selling jewelry and clothes, was a large tent that was impossible to miss. The tent fabric was very worn velvet in an unfortunate shade of green, with stars, moons, and suns painted on in dark blue and yellow. It looked like a hasty and unfinished job—some of the shapes were uneven and only outlined, others had colors that bled past their outlines, and a section toward the upper left of the tent entrance was missing any design attempt. Neon pink letters on a slab of black plywood propped up next to the entrance of the tent said, “THE REAL DEAL!” Seemingly at random across the sign, someone had placed stickers of two hands, palms up, with an eye drawn in the center of the palm. As a finishing touch, two enormous and billowy red feathers were taped on the upper corners of the sign and fluttered dramatically whenever the breeze blew.

Poppy frowned. “I’ve never seen that tent before. Must be a new vendor.” To be honest, she had never really noticed any tents before at the fair, just open-air booths. She knew most of the vendors were well vetted before being allowed to sell their wares, and she knew better than to judge a book by its cover, but she still found herself questioning how the person running this tent had gained permission to be there. Moonbright loved the quaint feel of the Fall Festival and the familiar faces that populated it. This tent…was anything but quaint.

Jacob was brimming with excitement and clearly not judging the tent to the same degree as Poppy. He motioned to Poppy to hurry and started off in the direction of the tent. “I think it’s a fortune teller. My horoscope today literally said to invest in the future. We’re totally going!”

Poppy gave the collection of food stands behind her a sad look. _I’ll be back for you_ , she thought. She didn’t really believe in fortune tellers, but watching Jacob have his fortune told would be undoubtedly amusing, and she was curious to meet the person behind this aesthetic.

The fabric covering the opening to the tent was much heavier than Poppy expected. As it fell behind her, her eyes adjusted to the faintly lit interior. The hand-painted stars and orbs did not continue on the inside, but the walls were made of the same velvet fabric. Fairy lights hung from above, and a patchwork of coarse rugs covered the ground. In the middle of the tent was a low table surrounded by impressive piles of pillows, and against the back edge was another table and a small stepladder.

The tent was empty of people.

Jacob and Poppy stood at the entrance, hesitant to proceed further without the owner present. “Uh, maybe we should see if we can find someone outside?” Poppy whispered after a few seconds.

“Aw, maaaaan,” Jacob whined loudly. “I really wanted to get my fortune told.”

“Don’t give up just yet. They probably just left to get something to eat. Probably something greasy and delicious...” Poppy’s thoughts once again turned toward the food opportunities they had left behind.

Suddenly, a pillow from one of the large piles flew to the ground. The whole pile shifted back and forth, and a person rose, with effort, from the pile. Poppy squealed and covered her mouth.

“Hey!” The person said brightly, finally extracting herself from the pillows and standing in front of the low table. She was only slightly taller than Poppy and appeared to be around the same age. Her black hair fell to her waist, the ends bright red. Red was clearly a favorite of hers: besides her high-heeled ankle boots and a backwards baseball cap, both of which were dark gray, she wore a dark red tank top, darker red leggings, and even darker red bracelets that spanned her wrists to mid-forearms. The bracelets clattered loudly as she stretched, and she let out a big yawn, light catching on her septum ring and gold lip gloss. She slapped her cheeks, as if trying to wake up, and then grinned at her visitors. “Sorry, y’all. I was taking a nap and didn’t hear you come in. Getting this monstrosity standing”—she gestured at the tent around them—“was harder than I predicted.”

Poppy and Jacob stared at her.

Jacob recovered first. “Wow, you look so much cooler than the coolest person I know,” he said.

She laughed. “Why, thank you, I think. I hope the coolest person you know is cool. I apologize in advance for the lack of the dramatic performance you usually expect with these things, but I haven’t changed into my costume, et cetera. I was a last-minute addition to the fair this year, so I’m still setting up.”

“You set this all up by yourself?” Poppy asked.

Simultaneously, Jacob blurted out, “Are you a fortune teller?”

The lady laughed and adjusted her cap. “Yes, ma’am, and yes, sir. I did and I am.”

“That’s so cool! You’re so cool. Oh my gosh, I’m so excited.” Jacob clapped his hands.

“Wait,” Poppy whispered loudly, pulling on Jacob’s sleeve. When she realized also had the fortune teller’s attention, she cleared her throat and spoke louder. “She said she’s still setting up. Maybe we should come back later.”

Jacob put his hands on his face and dragged at his cheeks. “Ah, shit. I didn’t even think about that. So are you not open for business then?”

The fortune teller watched him for a moment. “You really pull off the sad puppy dog look, do you know that?” She shook her head and looked around the room. “I just thought I would have a bit more time to get into my persona.”

Poppy tried to contain a snicker. This woman had already admitted to her predictions being wrong, twice, and wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that fortune telling meant putting on an act. Even so, Jacob still looked so hopeful.

The fortune teller studied Poppy. “I see we have a non-believer among us! I’m the real deal, lady, but don’t worry, I’m not offended.” She turned back to Jacob. “I guess that means you’re the only one who wants his fortune told?”

Jacob moved his hands from his face to his pockets, looking cautiously hopeful. “Yes, very much so.”

“Very well. I’ll do it.”

Jacob lit up. “Oh my gosh! Thank you so much! Are you really sure, even though you’re not ready…?”

The fortune teller tossed her hair over her shoulder. “No, no, child. I’m ready. I know this whole setup looks pretty unfinished, but the tent and how everything is laid out is actually extremely intentional. Fortune telling is a whole sensory experience, and every detail of this space is designed to catch and intensify all the clues and inklings about the future. I just meant my attire”—she struck a pose and then relaxed her posture again with a laugh—“which may seem important but technically doesn’t add anything to my fortune telling. I mean, it might add something to you—most of my customers think that’s all part of the experience—but if you trust me that it doesn’t matter, then we can get this fortune telling ball rolling, so to speak.”

“Sure, that’s fine with me,” Jacob said.

“Great. What can I do for you then? Tarot? Palm reading?”

“Um, which is the most informative? You see, my horoscope today basically told me to do this. I think this reading could be really important!”

The fortune teller rocked back on her heels, balancing on them, and tapped the tips of her boots together before landing heavily on the ground. She lifted her hat for a moment to scratch and then smooth her hair under it. As if coming to a decision, she gave a brief nod, and said, “You know what, fuck it. Since you guys are my first customers, that makes you special, so let’s have some fun! I’ve got this crystal ball set up that lets me read from the stars at the same time. If your horoscope directed you here, then I think that’ll be perfect. It doesn’t always tell me anything—depends on the person involved, and also the weather—but when it does it’s a pretty detailed reading. Kind of a high risk, high reward deal. Sound okay?”

Poppy furrowed her brows. “What do you mean high risk?”

“Well, you still have to pay me, even if I don’t see anything.” She laughed. “I don’t charge too much, so I guess it’s not too high of a risk. But I’ll only do that reading once per person, so you risk getting your hopes up for nothing.” She made finger guns at Jacob. “So, Money Maker, what’s it going to be?”

Jacob gulped. “That sounds so cool. I’m in.”

The fortune teller spun around, hair flying, and walked toward the back of the tent. She climbed the stepladder to the highest rung, standing on the balls of her feet with the heels of her boots hanging off the side. The ladder wobbled a bit on the bulky carpets and she grabbed onto the tent fabric to steady herself. Once she seemed balanced, she reached above her head and undid a few knots in the tent ceiling.

When the last knot came undone, a flap of fabric from the ceiling draped down, revealing a clear night sky with a handful of stars.

“Wonderful! The clear sky is a good start,” she said, hopping off the ladder and beckoning them over.

When Poppy and Jacob reached the back of the tent, the fortune teller found a small remote on the table and clicked a button. The fairy lights started blinking, and she clicked it again to turn them off. The tent was plunged into darkness, but the light from the open flap helped Poppy’s eyes adjust quickly.

Poppy realized an object covered in dark green cloth stood on the tall table. Until the ceiling flap opened, it had blended rather well into the tent fabric behind it. The fortune teller reached for the green cover. She whisked it off with a dramatic bow and a smirk. Underneath was a crystal ball on a small metal stand placed in the middle of a large, perfectly polished silver bowl. Fog moved within the crystal ball, but more captivating was the bright reflection of the stars into the bowl, and how the light from the stars caught on the fog within the crystal ball. It appeared to be flickering and breathing. Poppy had to give it to her; this lady did seem capable of showmanship.

“Shall we begin?” the fortune teller asked Jacob, and pointed at a pillow across from her. He took his seat.

She grabbed a small green teapot that must have also been camouflaged with the table and poured the contents—which looked like water—slowly into the bowl. The fluid sloshed in the bowl and the stars’ reflections warped. She crossed her arms and leaned in until her nose was centimeters from the crystal ball. She peered into it for a moment, and then cleared her throat.

“Okay, a small point to start. Someone will spill a large soda on you tonight, so don’t carry things like your phone or money on your person. Maybe let your nice friend here hold them?”

Jacob frowned. “What? That’s… shit. I guess good to know.”

Poppy burst into laughter. She had been expecting the usual predictions of love and wealth, but this was too good. Witnessing this interaction was not disappointing in the least.

“Oh my gosh!” Jacob exclaimed, eyes wide. “So it _was_ a good thing I didn’t bring my camera tonight!”

“Yes, great,” muttered the fortune teller, who was squinting into the ball and rubbing her temple. She picked up a brush—where did these objects keep coming from?—and stirred the water briefly. “Okay, here is something you’ll find more interesting, my dear. Happy news. You have a new and _very_ exciting romance just around the corner.”

“Oooh, Jacob!” Poppy teased. She poked him in the shoulder and wiggled her eyebrows. There was the prediction she had expected. Her coworker was clearly eating it up, though.

“Stop it, Poppy,” he said half-heartedly, blushing slightly. To the fortune teller, he asked, “Is there more? Any advice?”

“Oh, yes. I told you these readings can be quite detailed! I’m seeing… some nice pens? Hmm. Is that a fountain pen? Yes, I think it is. You should invest in some nice pens and high-quality stationary. It’ll make a critical conversation starter for your blossoming relationship, which is important because your first impression might not be too good.”

Jacob stared at her. Then he glanced at Poppy, confusion written all over his face.

The fortune teller caught his glance. “Oh, is this your stationary lover?”

Poppy inhaled sharply. “Oh, no, no, no. I mean, I do love stationary, but Jacob and I are just friends. We just work together.” She felt another blush coming on, and felt angry about it.

The fortune teller shoved her bracelets further up her arms and, with another look in her crystal ball, shook her head. “No, it is very clear that he should stay near you if this romance is to happen.”

Poppy clenched her fists. This is not how she wanted the night to go. Jacob was… Jacob. He was a good friend, but she tired of his comments about her weight and how often he took advantage of her work ethic and meekness. She had only started noticing and then dating Julri after constant nagging from her friends who gossiped about whether there was “something between them,” not because she was initially very drawn to him, and she wasn’t about to let this lady do that again. No boy drama, no planting ideas in her mind, no planting ideas in Jacob’s.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, however, the fortune teller cackled. “Oh, hah. I’m so sorry. That was awkward. I thought you might have been dating when you first walked in, but I see now that you’re truly not.”

Poppy relaxed slightly, but still felt uneasy. She was angry at the fortune teller for trying something like that, but grateful that the lady seemed to have read the room and changed course. Jacob seemed to share Poppy’s discomfort. “Yeah, of course not. I mean—sorry, Poppy. I just… you’re not my type.”

Poppy blushed again. “I know, Jacob! And you’re not mine either!” To herself and her stupid cheeks, she ordered, _Stop blushing!_

The fortune teller nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, yes, this is good, it’s very clear that you two shouldn’t date.” She jabbed at the crystal ball, as if they could see what she was pointing to. “Very clear. Good stuff, good stuff. That’s settled.”

Silence descended upon them. The fortune teller stretched again and let out a loud yawn. She started weaving her hair in and out of her many bracelets. Poppy and Jacob watched her, the movement strangely hypnotic. When it became clear that the fortune teller had fully shifted her focus to her bracelets and was not about to speak again, Jacob cleared his throat. “Welllll, okayyyy. I guess I don’t need to bother with the fancy journals and pens after all?”

The fortune teller stopped her hair-weaving and looked at him sternly. “I didn’t say that. You should definitely familiarize yourself with them, and have some on hand. I know it’s odd, but it’s important.” She glanced back at the crystal ball, and then snorted. With a wink, she added, “You’ll definitely want to learn your way around a pen.”

“Is that an innuendo? What does she mean? I don’t get it,” Jacob said, looking at Poppy.

“One more thing,” the fortune teller added, her attention back on the crystal ball. “Stay on her good side,” she said, tipping her head in Poppy’s direction.

“Hah!” Poppy grinned and put her hands on her hips. Maybe this lady wasn’t such a fraud after all.

“How much did you pay her to say that, Poppy?” Jacob grumbled.

Poppy mustered up the best fake-innocent look she could. “How could you think that? I would never.” She giggled. “Besides, you know I’m dead broke right now.”

The fortune teller jostled her bracelets and pulled her hair out from between them, suddenly impatient to move on. “Well, that’s enough for you, Money Maker. Your turn now, Miss Stationary.” She waved at Poppy to approach.

“Oh! Um. No, it’s okay. I was just accompanying Jacob.”

“Nonsense! I won’t charge you. I’m just a curious person.”

Poppy still hesitated. She knew she could be swayed by the power of suggestion and didn’t want the fortune teller telling her things that could make her doubt herself in the future, even if she knew it was most likely untrue. But she, too, was a curious person… and she supposed Erdene would certainly give her a lot of grief if she found out Poppy had let this opportunity slide.

“What? Poppy gets her fortune told for free but you’re going to charge me?” Jacob complained.

The fortune teller tsked at him. “I’m giving you both a discount, half-off the normal price, but she’s only here because of you, so you should pay for her reading. You were ready to pay full price anyway, so I don’t see what the issue is.”

Jacob crossed his arms but didn’t reply. Poppy giggled. “Well, in that case, sure!” Might as well have her fortune told if that would annoy Jacob.

The fortune teller nodded. “Change places. You, up. You, sit.”

Poppy took Jacob’s seat, shifting the pillow around since it was warm where he sat. She crossed her legs and waited. The fortune teller put the brush she had used for Jacob’s reading aside and lifted another brush from the table that Poppy could have sworn was not there earlier. With the new brush, the fortune teller swirled the water around and around, and then let it settle. She tapped out a quick beat on her thighs, and then gazed into the crystal ball.

From the other side of the table, Poppy tried to also look inside the crystal ball, to see if she could see something the fortune teller did. Smoke or fog swirled around, creating textures and shadows that morphed into new textures and shadows before Poppy could try to interpret them. The stars shimmered in the bowl, and their reflections made the outside of the crystal ball seem shiny. But there was something else in the ball, something that was not just a reflection from the stars. Was it—something gold? She looked up, startled, to see the fortune teller’s face very close to the other side of the crystal ball, her lips pursed in concentration and her golden lip gloss gleaming. Ah, must have been a reflection from the fortune teller.

Minutes passed. Poppy gave up peering into the crystal ball and caught Jacob’s eye. She rolled her eyes and he shrugged and looked somewhat sorry. “Guess you’re one of the difficult cases, Pops.”

The fortune teller held up her hand, quieting Jacob. Poppy leaned forward in anticipation, but the fortune teller said nothing. Another minute went by.

And then—a gasp.

“Wow. I’ve never…” The fortune teller trailed off.

“Never what?” Jacob pressed.

The fortune teller didn’t look up from the crystal ball, muttering as if to herself, “I’ve never seen, or even imagined, such…” Without moving her face, she lifted her gaze toward Poppy and stared.

“…What?” Poppy coughed uncomfortably.

The fortune teller narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

“Is something wrong?” Poppy asked.

The fortune teller reached forward and grabbed Poppy’s chin, bracelets swinging noisily from the sudden movement. Pulling on her chin and beckoning Poppy to crouch closer to the crystal ball, the fortune teller began to flick her eyes rapidly back and forth between Poppy and the crystal ball. Then, once again, she stared only at Poppy. After an uncomfortable thirty seconds, her intense look shifted into something else, and she let go of Poppy’s face and leaned back.

“The fuck?” Jacob whispered, almost inaudibly.

Finally, the fortune teller spoke. “I would say you’re one lucky girl, but it isn’t luck. It’s more than that.” She gestured toward the bowl and crystal ball, and then up at the stars that shone through the hole in the tent. “I’ve just never, ever, seen a love like that.”

Poppy’s heart rate skipped. “Wha—what do you mean?” she said, or rather squeaked, words catching in her throat.

With a smile, the fortune teller put the brush down. She dipped her finger into the water and ran it along the edge of the bowl until a hollow, flute-like noise echoed in the bowl. Standing, she hummed and tidied the area around the bowl, brushing off the table as if removing crumbs, before placing the crystal ball gently down on the cleared surface. She removed the lid from the kettle and carefully poured the water from the bowl back in, and then pulled the velvet blanket back over the table.

Worried that she was going to get no response, Poppy tried again. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

The fortune teller faced her with a knowing smile. “Oh, a very, very good thing. I saw a lot, but I don’t want to spoil it. Like your friend here, you, too, have a wonderful romance just around the corner. But yours will be…” She inhales deeply, and closes her eyes, a content expression on her face. The wind blew outside the tent and howled into the gap in the ceiling. “It will be a romance of legends. Take a deep breath as you leave. Both of you. It’s a hint. As I said, fortunes are a fully sensory experience. I don’t want you to miss out on this.” She reached out and clasped Poppy’s hand between both of hers. “It’s truly been a pleasure to meet you on your journey.”

With that, she walked back across the blanketed floor and plopped herself into one of the pillow piles. Poppy and Jacob exchanged another glance and then slowly walked back toward the tent entrance.

“Um, thank you?” Poppy said, dazed.

“Yes, thank you so much! I hope the rest of your night goes well!” Jacob called out.

The fortune teller raised her arm up from the pillow, giving a thumbs up as her bracelets crashed to her elbow.

“Oh, by the way. Money goes into the box next to you,” she called out. “Enjoy the fair!”

Sure enough, there was a shoebox with a slit cut into the lid sitting by the tent entrance. The words “Being generous increases your luck!” were scrawled on it. Jacob pulled a few bills from his wallet and shoved them inside the box.

“Thanks again!” Poppy called out, and they left the tent.

As soon as the tent flap fell back into place behind them, a strong wind picked up and blew forcefully into their faces, carrying with it the smells of the festival.

“What is that smell?” Jacob said. “It’s like… the pages of a new book?”

Poppy shook her head. No, on top of the fried food, the sweat, and the smoke, was the unmistakable aroma of fresh strawberries.

Thinking back to the strawberry syrup on her earlier meal, she laughed to herself. _Am I supposed to fall in love with a funnel cake?_ _Hah, that’s already happened. You’re late to the game, fortune teller lady._

\---

The next week

“Oh, one more, I forgot!” Jacob dropped off another report on top of the large pile he had just stacked onto Poppy’s desk.

Poppy groaned. “Jacob, if I stay at work on yet another Friday night to do your paperwork, I might miss my imminent romance.”

“Poppy, are you telling me your imminent romance is more important than mine?” Jacob gasped in mock horror. “Besides, who are you to predict your fate? Maybe you’ll only meet this person if you stay late tonight. It’s supposed to be epic, Pops. Take it seriously!”

Erdene laughed from the table nearby, though not as hard as she had when they first described their experience to her. “Jacob, didn’t the fortune teller lady say that you needed to stay near Poppy? Maybe you should stay late and work on your reports together.”

Jacob gasped again. “Hell, no! I mean… Do you think Poppy really wants me to stay? I’m supposed to stay on her good side, but I think she’s going to be putting thumb tacks on my seat if she’s around me much longer.”

“That’s probably true,” Poppy said.

Jacob sniffed.

With a sigh, she made space on her desk to start working on the reports. “Well, you owe me, big time. You know what? You could start by bringing me a hot chocolate and a pastry from downstairs.”

“Okay, will do. Though I wonder what your future partner will think about your intense sweet tooth when they run into you tonight…”

“Jacob!” Erdene scolded.

Poppy shook her head sadly. “Yeah, well, I think my future romance _is_ with sweets and chocolate. That’s why the fortune teller lady said she’s never seen anything like it.”

Jacob and Erdene snorted.

Just then, the door to Gil’s office opened and closed behind their boss. All three employees jumped, not realizing Gil was still at work.

“Poppy, Jacob, can you two come here?” Gil asked. “I have a client I’d like you to meet.”

When they drew close to him, Gil lowered his voice. “He’s a really big deal author. I’d like you two to put on your best charming selves. If this goes well, you’ll be spending a lot of time with him, and I’d like to keep up this partnership as long as we can. Got it?” They both nodded, and he straightened up and opened the door, gesturing at them to enter.

As they crossed the threshold into Gil’s office, Poppy’s gaze zeroed in on the two occupants. The first, a blonde man in a crisp blazer with a floral shirt, leaning back in his chair and twirling an elegant fountain pen. The second, a huge man in a black suit, perhaps the most beautiful man she had ever seen, returning her stare with hypnotic, golden eyes. The conference room door closed behind her, stirring up the air in the office. Although it was gone almost as soon as it appeared, Poppy could not deny that there was a strong smell of strawberries.


End file.
